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Joint Museums Committee - Wednesday, 7th October, 2026 4.00 pm
October 7, 2026 at 4:00 pm Joint Museums Committee View on council websiteSummary
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The Joint Museums Committee met on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, to discuss the Quarter 1 performance report for 2026-27, the Quarter 1 finance report and the budget for 2027-28, and proposed changes to museums' fees and charges for 2027-28. The committee also received an update on major museum projects, the Tickenhill Collections Trust annual report, and reviewed its work programme.
Quarter 1 Performance Report 2026-27
The committee was scheduled to review the performance information for the first quarter of 2026-27. The report indicated that visitor numbers at the Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum were 14,750, slightly lower than the previous year but broadly in line with pre-pandemic levels. Visitor numbers at The Commandery continued a positive trend, remaining higher than pre-pandemic levels. The report also highlighted the success of a film promoting Worcester's heritage, which had been viewed over 137,000 times. A new performance indicator for participation activity at the Worcestershire County Museum showed 3,269 participants. Social media audiences had grown to 31,466 followers, and income performance exceeded targets by 117%. Formal learning participation remained strong, with informal learning activity more than doubling. The service's annual work plan was reported to be on track.
Quarter 1 Finance Report 2026-27 and 2027-28 Budget
The committee was due to review financial monitoring details for the period ending 30 June 2026 and agree the budget for 2027-28. The forecast year-end position for city-hosted teams at the end of Quarter 1 was a deficit of £4,345. The report detailed projected year-end outturns for both Worcester City and County hosting, with explanations for variances. The draft budget proposal for 2027-28 included inflationary increases for both city and county contributions. The report also outlined the status of reserves, including the Joint Museum general reserve and restricted project reserves.
Museums Fees and Charges 2027-28
The committee was scheduled to consider proposed changes to the museums' fees and charges for 2027-28. The proposed changes were primarily based on inflationary increases. New charges were proposed for the commercial hire of the new Glove Affair gallery at the Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum. A new principle was proposed for family tickets, making them equivalent to the price of two adult tickets, to encourage wider access. The committee was also asked to approve the temporary alteration of fees to be included in annual calendar-year publicity.
Museum Major Projects Update
An update was scheduled on several significant projects being undertaken by Museums Worcestershire. These included the development of the British Impressionism and Glove Affair galleries and a new Learning Space at the Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum. The report also detailed progress on the Going Places
consortium and its exhibition, Making Her Mark: A Celebration of Women in Art. Updates were also expected on the Worcestershire County Museum Atchin Tan Project, the acquisition of the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard, and the Worcestershire Soldier gallery at The Commandery. The report also touched upon the repositioning of Worcestershire County Museum as part of future planning for Hartlebury Castle and considerations for Local Government Reorganisation.
Tickenhill Collections Trust Annual Report
The committee was to review the annual report for the Tickenhill Collection for 2025-26 for submission to the Charity Commission. The report noted that income and expenditure for the Trust in 2025-26 were nil, with work undertaken by volunteers and supported by staff funded by Worcestershire County Council. The report also recommended approving in principle the transfer of the Tickenhill Collection trusteeship to the most appropriate succeeding council following Local Government Reorganisation in Worcestershire. The Tickenhill Collection, which forms a significant part of the Worcestershire County Museum collection, is held in a charitable trust.
Joint Museums Committee Work Programme
The committee was scheduled to review its work programme for the upcoming year. Anticipated items for 2026-27 included performance and finance reports, the service plan, and updates on disposals procedures. The committee was also asked to consider preferred times for future meetings, with a request for a 4:00 pm start time noted. The possibility of inviting guest speakers to share their experiences was also raised.
The meeting was scheduled to take place at Worcester Art Gallery and Museum.
The documents related to this meeting are:
Attendees
No attendees have been recorded for this meeting.